Controversy Reigns as Global Poker Awards Nominees Are Named

March 20th, 2019 | by Jason Reynolds

The 2019 Global Poker Awards has divided the community after the shortlist of names went live on March 18.

Doug Polk is one of the more controversial nominees on this year’s Global Poker Awards shortlist. (Image: PokerVIP)

After announcing the ceremony at the start of March, Global Poker Index (GPI) president Eric Danis has revealed the nominees a panel of experts will now vote on.

In picking players and industry insiders from ten different nations, the GPI’s team has including some obvious and possibly not so obvious choices.

Big Names Make Global Poker Awards Shortlist

Among the top contenders this year are Justin Bonomo and Doyle Brunson who both made waves during the 2018 World Series of Poker (WSOP). However, outside of those names, debates over the merits of certain nominees have broken out.

As new spread across the virtual airwaves, one vlogger was unhappy he’d been overlooked. Despite being one of the more active content producers in 2018, Brad Owen didn’t make the cut.

Hey @gpi what in the fuck do I have to do to get nominated for this "Vlogger of the Year" category? Probably wouldn't be upset if there weren't people nominated who don't even make poker vlogs: https://t.co/c97CNSmfTW
— Brad Owen (@TheBradOwen) March 18, 2019

In contrast, high stakes pro and YouTube provocateur Doug Polk did impress the Global Poker Awards committee, despite producing zero vlogs in 2018.

https://twitter.com/DougPolkPoker/status/1107754325923627008

In defense of the Global Poker Awards, the term vlog is a grey area that can encompass a myriad of content. Although Polk’s strategy breakdowns aren’t technically “video logs,” they do contain a certain amount of production value.

By blurring the lines between strategy, entertainment and a personal video log, Polk is listed in the Vlogger of the Year category.

Surprising Entries Cause Consternation

Another player that was unsure about his nomination was Jaime Staples. Listed alongside Jason Sommerville, Lex Veldhuis and Jeff Gross in the streamers category, Staples believes his place isn’t warranted.

Although he said it was an “honor” to be nominated, his 2018 “power rankings” would include streamers such as Arlie Shaban, rather than his own name.

It’s rare that a list of nominees receives unanimous backing. While few would argue Bonomo and Brunson don’t deserve some recognition, other categories are less clear.

For that reason alone, the 2019 Global Poker Awards looks set to be entertaining in one way or another when the winners are announced on April 5 inside the PokerGo studio, Las Vegas.

2019 Global Poker Awards Nominee Highlights

Tournament Performance